The National tribune., 1887-05-05

Practical Duties aght a s;s's of the Inter
national Sur lhy-sch15. Ecss5a Appointed fol
May 10. Ex., S;It9

TIC hay p 9 e. le- lesson studied the ac
count of loses q, wonderful escape from
| inflnt .do b. .ure by his real mother and
81 option - laraoh's daughter. As soOr
lett Joe eds home he began a course oi
s.scstion Egyptian schools, fitting him,
sll i1r yal destiny. (Acts, z: 22.) Many
hold aid have become Pharaoh. 1t is
evid could have had a career of prosperity
We I'd power. Heb, IL % 26.) His de-
% be a Hebrew instead of an Egyptian
'Iim :" the pleasures OF sin for a season y;
Sc him the sacrifice of the treasures OF
Egypt; cost him, rs apparent from St. Paul's
statements, governmental promotion, civil
power, and possibly the throne of the then
grandest and wealthiest country of the world.
We know little in particular of Moses till he
was 10 years of age. During all this time he
had seen his own people (tbe Hebrews) abused
shamefully and cruelty. His whole nature re-
| belled against such treatment Of his race One
day he saw an Egyptian shifting Hebrew. 1t
was too much. lie slew the Egyptian. Moses
was then 10 years old. (Acts, Z: 23) He thought
| himself unobserved, but next day he discovered
his act had been seen. lie knew the conse-
quences of such deed, and fed from Egypt.
| lie was doubtless guilty of murder. We do not
justify his act. But we remember, in a pallia-
| tive way, that there was no other remedy; that
| possibly it was a providential stroke toward
the delivery of all the lsraelites from Egyptian
! Donudses lnab az any IhlO IL Was ONeTEuleQ Dy
our Heavenly Father for good TO his chosen
people.
Moses's hding-place was indian. There
were two branches Of the Midianites-one east
Of the Dead Sea- and spoken of in connection
with the Moabites; the other the Southern
Midianites, also called Cushites. who lived on
the Peninsula OF Sinai, along the northeast arm
Of the Red Sea, known as the Gulf of Akabah,
! between the Horeb range and the sea. In this
valley there was good pasturage. desert"
! @: H. we are not to understand barren region
1t means not wooded. but grassy.
While in indian Moses fell i'm with the family
! OF Reuel, aud after time married one of seven
sisters. The wife's name was Zipporah. The
! Midianites descended from Abraham. (Gen,
25: % Reuel was a priest and also shepherd.
Moses and Zipporah had two sons-Gershom
and Eliezer. tEx., 2:22; lS:2-5.)
Mosess employment during the 40 years he
was in Midian was that Of a shepherd. What a
change for one who had practically been a
prince! Then, from his Egyptian education,
he would have digtaste for such a vocation
(Gen., 46:3i.)
During the four decades of Moses's residence
in Midian his people were suffering abuse
hardship bondage, cruelty in Egypt.
The time came for the Exodus, and leader
was wanted. Who so able rs Moses? 1t was
prOyidential that he had been forced to live for
40 years near Sinai, thus becoming familiar
with every foot of the ground over which he
was afterward to lead the rescued captiyes
from Egypt. Then, he had all the qualities of
successful organizer and leader. Further, he
was accomplished in all the culture of the day.
The time had arrived for the call of Moses
and his commission. That day he had led
his hocks over upon the western portions of the
valley bordering the Horeb range of mountains,
The "backside of the desert" means the
western side. The Hebrews called the west di-
rection that behind the back, il being supposed
the person looks forward with face toward the
east. The west side of the desert would border
along the east range of the mount. Horeb was
just before Moses. 1t is thought Horeb was the
name Of the range, while Sinai was particular
point. Bramble bushes abOunded on Horeb
They were called seaeh, and hence probably
the name Sinai, a later name given 10 the
moIsntain in memory OF the burning seneh
bush. The name " Mountain of God" was also
given TO this elevation in allusion to the fact
God made known his law at that point. (Ex.,
10: 20) 1t is believed the mount is the same
as that now named Ras SafsqCek.
We showed last week that Moses was born
2453 A. NJ. Add 50 years, Acts, z: %. 30,) and
we have for the date Of this lesson 25I3 A. NJ,
or li9I B. G. He left Egypt when 40 years old,
and had been in Midian 40 years. Abraham
died $50 years before, Isaac 225, and Jacob 1913.
From the fact the Passover took place not long
burning bush took place in, say, the month of
February.
The call to Moses came from the lips of
Jehovah, who appeared in an angelic FORM
speaking out from pulpit OF fire. The voice
was that of the God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob. An angel is a messenger. The mes
senger was Jehovah, and at the same time he
was God. God is invisible. Christ is the Word.
Expression or Manifestation OF God. Ii is prob
able the speaker from the bush was the Word
which became flesh at Bethlehem. (St. John,
j: lt) How this agrees with st. Johns 10: 30)
representation of ChTists statement one time,
" / and my Father are onel"
The bush was the acacia, a sort Of thorn
or bramble like the hawthorn. 1t is yet found
In the same region. Ii is generally dry and
very iniiammable. Its local name is seneh
There was a symbolic meaning to the phenom-
enon. As the bush burned, but was not in
jured, SO the children of Israel were 10 20
through the furnace of alliction and yet not
be permanently harmed. This fact is still true
OF the Church; also yet true as 10 each Christian
The form of the Fourth is visible. dan,
3: 25.) Why did not God speak from the bush
without its flamingp Some have explained by
saying the ire was used for the purpose of ar
resting Mosess attention. But we remember
fire enters largely into the religious ideas of
the world. God led the Israeltes by a pillar
Of fire at night. The Shechnah was probably
n symbol OF the presence OF God in the HOLY of
HOLES between the Cherubim. When God
promised Isaac 10 Abram, the father offered
sacrifices to God. Then Abram fell asleep. He
|. saw aburning lamp swinging between the pieces
Of the victims, typifying the presence of Deity
and his acceptance of the offering. (Gen.,
l5:l7) Gods Word is a lamp. ST. John Bap-
tist was burning and shining light. Christ
was Light. Jesus baptized with fire The
hearts of the Disciples burned as they walked
along with Christ 10 Emmaus. The 10 virgins
had lamps. The tongues at PentecOst were of
fire. Our Saviour would have us all shine.
The spot where God met Moses became tenn
porarily sort OF sanctuary, holy ground, ap-
proachable only with great reverence. Hence
Moses was hidden TO remove his shoes during
the interview. Jos, 5:l5.) The shoes worn
In the East were mere soles fastened 10 the feet
by straps. 1t is customary in Oriental lands 10
leave the sandals outside when entering even
an ordinary house. All Eastern nations per-
form religious worship barefooted- -Mohamme-
dams, Brahmins, Parsees. Juvenal 20, 8, 1881
speaks OF Jews attending their sacred rites thus.
SO Of the Greeks. Jamblicus states in his life
of Pythagoras that one of that philosophers
maXims was: Offer sacrifice aud worship with
your shoes Oft" Solinus says no person was
allowed 10 enter the temple of Diana in Crete
tlll his shoes were removed. Tertullan writes
that in time Of drought the worshipers of
Jupiter prayed for rain, walking barefooted.
Sandals were often taken Off TO remove dust or
pebbles from between the soles and the feet, and
also to clean the feet so pulling of the sandal
became an emblem suggesting the removal of
impurity from the heart.